Through to the last 16 of the Europa League and up to 14th in the Premier League, the Gallic Geordies haven’t achieved anything yet.

Victory yesterday against a spirited Saints side wasn’t straightforward.

They trailed early on and were pegged back to 2-2 in the second half before pulling clear.

But there’s an air of optimism in Toon right now – or perhaps that should be joie de vivre.

For it’s the injection of French class which has transformed Alan Pardew’s side.

What’s more, Papiss Cisse has discovered the touch which made him the talk of football last season.

His stunning 30-yard volley just before half-time was up there with the collection of gems he bagged in his early days at Newcastle.

Pardew’s talking about a top-half fi nish and even winning in Europe to bring the club their fi rst major trophy for 44 years.

Don’t rule it out. Newcastle now look far more like the side which threatened the elite last term than the one which stumbled through the fi rst half of this campaign.

Pardew said: “We have put ourselves in a position to attack 10th place and with this team, we can. Even when we went a goal down, we played with an assurance that bodes well.

It was an important win and the quality of Southampton should not be underestimated.

“And to cap it all, we even had an Alan Shearer moment, with Cisse’s wonderful goal.”

After coming from behind to beat Chelsea in their previous home game, the Toon had the quality to step up a gear after Ricky Lambert swept home Adam Lallana’s cross in the 50th minute for his 100th Saints goal, making it 2-2.

Sixteen minutes later, sub Danny Fox blocked Mathieu Debuchy’s cross with his hand and the peerless Yohan Cabaye, whose free-kick had found the right-back, stepped up to convert his fi rst penalty for Newcastle.

The win was sealed in the 79th minute when the hapless Fox crashed Davide Santon’s cross into the back of Jos Hooiveld, the ball ricocheting into the net.

Saints Coach Mauricio Pochettino said: “We are sad about the result, considering how well we started, but did not control the game as we should have done. I still have confi dence in my team and to me, it is obvious we will stay up.”

Before kick-off, tricolours were waved, French national anthem ‘Le Marseilles’ was played and a Geordie opera singer even boomed out the Blaydon Races in French to mark French Day at St James’ Park.

But the start was more ’Allo ’Allo than Ooh La La for Newcastle, not that the Toon Army were laughing when Morgan Schneiderlin – the only Saints player from across the Channel – fi red the visitors ahead.

Rob Elliot, drafted in to replace the injured Tim Krul, hadn’t touched the ball when he had to pick it out of the net.

Lambert easily beat Debuchy to Jack Cork’s cross. He headed it into the path of Scheneiderlin and with Steven Taylor slow to close him down, the midfi elder turned to fi re a right-foot shot past the helpless Elliot.

Moussa Sissoko arrowed in a fi erce shot which Artur Boruc pushed around the post as Newcastle gradually took charge.

And when Cisse slipped, trying to divert Yoan Gouffran’s mis-hit effort into the net, Southampton must have scented another shock result a fortnight after defeating Manchester City.

Newcastle, however, drew level in the 36th minute with Sissoko’s third goal for the club.

Cabaye had sent Gouffran sprinting through and although his near-post shot was blocked by Boruc, the ball fell kindly to Sissoko, who could not miss.

Then came Cisse’s moment of magic, barely breaking stride as he lashed home a volley off the underside of the bar.

When Lambert brilliantly converted after Lallana had turned Santon inside out, it was the visitors who had the momentum.

A few weeks ago, Pardew’s side might have crumbled – but not now and they duly completed the job.

Newcastle had lost 31-year-old skipper Fabricio Coloccini before half-time when he hurt his back in attempting an overhead kick, but there was even good news on that front.

Pardew added: “Colo is OK, though I have told him not to attempt something like that at his age."